A new statutory consultation on the long-term proposals to expand Luton airport is now open at: www.lutonrising.org.uk. The closing date is Monday 4 April.

The proposal is to increase the capacity of the airport to 32 million passengers per year by building a new terminal and making the best use of the existing runway.

Members of the public will be able to see the proposals and ask questions at 13 in-person consultations. The list of venues is on the website. Those closest to Preston are:

• Thursday 10 March, 14:00-21:30: Hitchin Town Hall, Brand Street, Hitchin SG5 1HX
• Saturday 19 March, 9:00-16:00: Whitwell New Fellowship Hall, Bendish Lane, Whitwell, SG4 8HT

Following the consultation, an application for a Development Consent Order will be submitted towards the end of this year. A lengthy process follows and the outcome of the application, decided by the Secretary of State for Transport, will be published sometime in the middle of 2024.

Information on how to respond to the application can be found on the website.